HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE
DAILY REPORT #2785
PERIOD COVERED: 0000Z (UTC) 01/11/01 - 0000Z (UTC) 01/12/01
Daily Status Report as of 012/0000Z
1.0 OBSERVATIONS SCHEDULED AND ACCOMPLISHED:
1.1 Completed STIS/CCD 8837 (CCD Dark Monitor-Part 1)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor
the darks. The proposal completed with no reported problems.
1.2 Completed WF/PC-2 8706 (Phoenix: "Halo/Disk'' Structures In Dwarf
Galaxies)
The WF/PC-2 was used to perform hierarchical clustering scenarios
for galaxy formation that predict that dwarf galaxies are the first to be
formed and that they are building blocks of larger galaxies. In this case,
the spatial structure and the stellar age and metallicity distribution of
the Phoenix dwarf galaxy are measured to give support or reject such
scenarios. The proposal completed with no anomalous activity.
1.3 Completed STIS/CCD 8838 (Bias Monitor - Part 1)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to monitor
the bias in the 1x1, 1x2, 2x1, and 2x2 bin settings at gain=1, and 1x1 at
gain = 4, to build up high-S/N superbiases and track the evolution of hot
columns. The proposal completed nominally.
1.4 Completed Six Sets of STIS/CCD 8562 (Probing the Large Scale
Structure: Cosmic Shear Observations)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to probe
the distortion of light bundles from distant galaxies, looking at the
statistical properties of the intervening inhomogeneous {dark} matter
distribution. The proposal completed nominally.
1.5 Completed WF/PC-2/STIS/CCD 8559 (The Role of Dark Matter in Cluster
Formation and Galaxy Evolution)
The WF/PC-2 and the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) were
used to observe the outer regions of massive clusters that represent
transitional areas of great cosmological importance where field galaxies
encounter the steep potential wells of dark matter and baryonic hot
gas. Little is known about either the dark matter profile at large radii
or the morphological properties of infalling galaxies at those redshifts
where strong evolution is observed in the cluster cores. The proposal
completed normally, with no reported problems.
1.6 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8632 (A UV Atlas of Nearby Galaxies)
The WF/PC-2 was used to perform a snapshot survey of local galaxies
at UV wavelengths with the F300W filter. The aim of the project is to
build a reference UV Atlas of normal galaxies, whose optical images are
well known, with the highest possible degree of information, covering all
the morphological types and luminosity classes. The proposal completed
normally.
1.7 Completed WF/PC-2 8164 (A Search for Intergalactic Globular
Clusters in A1185)
The WF/PC-2 was used to investigate the anomalously rich globular
cluster populations surrounding many supergiant elliptical galaxies. A
series of deep WF/PC-2 images centered on the peak of the X-ray
distribution in Abell 1185 should reveal a population of intergalactic
globular cluster if it exists. The proposal completed as planned.
1.8 Completed STIS/MA1/MA2 8843 (Cycle 9 MAMA Dark Measurements)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (MA1 and MA2) was used to
perform the routine monitoring of the MAMA detector dark noise. The
proposal completed nominally.
1.9 Completed STIS/CCD 8260 (Searching for the Hydrogen Reionization
Edge of the Universe at 5HST)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD) was used to observe
one of 36 parallel orbits {4--5 fields of 5--8 orbits each} to constrain
the H Lyman-edge in emission that marks the transition from a neutral to a
fully ionized IGM at a predicted zion~eq5--15. This edge is due to
recombination from the H Lyman series and Lyman continuum, and can be used
to constrain zion, one of the most important unknown quantities in large
scale structure and cosmology. The proposal completed nominally.
1.10 Completed Two Sets of WF/PC-2 8816 (Cycle 9 UV Earthflats)
The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain sequences of Earth streak flats to
improve the quality of pipeline flat fields for the WFPC2 UV filter set and
in order to monitor flat field stability. There were no reported problems.
1.11 Completed STIS/CCD/MA1 8691 (Calibrating the Cosmic Meter Stick:
The Distance to the LMC Using Eclipsing Binaries)
The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (CCD and MA1) was used to
measure the LMC distance which is crucial for the calibration of the Cosmic
Distance Scale. The observations completed with no reported problems.
1.12 Completed WF/PC-2 8827 (Cycle 9 Supplemental Darks pt2/3)
The WF/PC-2 was used to obtain three dark frames every day to
provide data for monitoring and characterizing the evolution of hot
pixels. The proposal completed nominally.
2.0 FLIGHT OPERATIONS SUMMARY:
2.1 Guide Star Acquisitions:
Scheduled Acquisitions: 7
Successful: 7
Scheduled Re-acquisitions: 9
Successful: 9
2.2 FHST Updates:
Scheduled: 14
Successful: 14
2.3 Operations Notes:
Using ROP SR-1A, the SSR EDAC error counter was cleared four times.
The engineering status buffer limits were updated twice per ROP DF-18A.
As directed by an operations request, the Gyro #6 Low Mode Flight
Software installation was successfully completed at 011/1447Z. A Type 2
slew was executed nominally at 011/1452Z with Gyro #6 remaining in low
mode. A guide star acquisition was successful at 011/1509Z, acquiring in
fine lock with biases comparable with those uplinked after the
installation. Differences between the SAC-produced biases and the on-board
biases were approximately 11 arc-sec/hour. On-board biases produced during
the guide star acquisition further refined the bias estimate for the new
three-gyro configuration. The Gyro #6 On-orbit Low Mode Test continues.
A TTR was written for a period of no GCMR capability beginning at
011/1300Z.
SSA transmitter #1 was turned on and off at 011/1620Z as directed
by ROP IC-2.
A TTR was generated when two commands had to be re-transmitted at
012/0837Z and at 012/0841Z during a 486 load uplink.
3.0 SIGNIFICANT FORTHCOMING EVENTS:
Continuation of normal science observations and calibrations.
/CAW